“As someone who is passionate about agriculture, being able to combine teaching with my love for this field is truly a dream come true,” said Woodhouse.  “I am both humbled and honoured to be recognized in this way, and I look forward to continuing to inspire and educate others about the importance of agriculture.”

The St. John Catholic School teacher was awarded AgScape’s annual Teaching Excellence in Agriculture and Food Education Award and the $1,500 prize at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, an award sponsor, on Sept. 12.

Why it matters: Teachers play a crucial role in helping students understand the origins of the food they eat and the significant role farming and agriculture play in their lives.

A passionate farmer and agriculture enthusiast, Woodhouse weaves agriculture and food literacy into learning, utilizing AgScape’s programs and resources, curriculum-linked lesson plans and Virtual Field.

Her large-scale field trips to the International Plowing Match and participation in the Pizza Perfect program at the Grand River Raceway connect students to real-world agricultural practices and history.

In a statement, Jill Dunlop, Minister of Education, said the Grade 1 to 3 Social Studies curriculum dovetails with Woodhouse’s efforts because it explores the relationship between the natural environment, land use and employment opportunities.

She also applauded AgScape’s curriculum-linked resources, which help teachers and students build knowledge and contribute to “the next generation of agri-food professionals.”

“Working with extraordinary educators is one of our greatest privileges at AgScape,” said Mira Lyonblum, AgScape executive director, in a statement. “Without teachers like Pam going above and beyond, we would not be able to empower students across Ontario to see themselves as an integral part of our agriculture and food system.”

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The funds will be split between two partnerships, each with the goal of engaging students and creating educational programming about Canada’s agriculture sector.

Why it matters: Government investment in education could encourage youth engagement with the Canadian food system.

AgScape executive director Mira Lyonblum said the partnership and funds have been in the works since Sept. 1, 2023, “and it’s three years of funding, and this is for most of the core projects that we do.”

According to a May 1 press release, AgScape’s partnership with the federal government will bring “awareness of the importance and diversity of career opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sector across Ontario.”

Lyonblum said a driving factor is the career gap in Canadian agriculture. She cited research by the Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council.

“They had their large, multi-year research project that came out … talking about the gaps that exist in the careers that are available, or the jobs that are open that don’t have anyone to fill them at the moment.

“We’re talking about jobs at every level,” Lyonblum said. “We’re talking about jobs that require very specialized advanced degrees (and) we’re also talking about other jobs that require, of course, very important skills and experience, but not even specific degrees. So, we really are looking at the entire system.

“We’re already feeling that gap. There already are interruptions in our food supply chain. There’s already a clear negative effect on our agriculture and agri-food industry.”

The CAHRC research showed most people across the country couldn’t name any agri-food-related careers other than farmer and chef.

“People don’t think of agriculture and food when they’re looking into careers,” she said. “We need people from literally every background, every area of study, every discipline in order to contribute to making sure that we have a sustainable food system.”

A project previously included in the partnership is the Teacher Ambassador Program, which has Ontario educators placed in classrooms from grades four to 12.

“The lesson topics range from eating well with Canada’s food guide, food processing, (to the) past, present and future of agriculture,” said AgScape marketing and communications manager Joy Qui.

“It has various different lesson topics that showcases to students that within the agriculture and agri-food sector, there’s really a vast number of topics, vast number of career opportunities.

“We want to be there for them, to make them aware of the agriculture and food industry, because this is often not talked about in the current Ontario curriculum.”

Education programs extend beyond the classroom.

“Our ThinkAg career competitions are a little more direct, in that students are able to do hands-on work, hands-on activities, with people who are already in the field,” Lyonblum explained.

Other programming will involve working with Ontario agricultural societies to promote careers in agriculture at every fair.

“It’s going to be asking people what skills they already have, what areas they’re interested in going into, and then showing them some different career options, people who are really in those careers already, and the pathways that they can take.”

AgScape also offers a resource library for educators, including activity booklets, infographics and guides to various agri-food-related topics.

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AgScape is receiving up to $1.6 million in funding under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) over the next four years for its project titled “Engaging Youth in Growing a Sustainable Future.” Project initiatives include curriculum-linked lessons delivered in classrooms, thinkAG Career Competitions engaging students in hands-on activities with industry partners, Virtual Field Trips, adult professional development, and resource development and distribution.

AgScape said in a release the activities “will empower Ontario youth and educators to understand their relationship with Ontario’s agriculture and food system and inspire interest in related careers, while stimulating critical thinking and dialogue.”

AgScape is also partnering with the governments of Canada and Ontario on a new initiative to increase awareness of the importance and diversity of career opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sector across Ontario with up to $1.4 million in funding. The organization said its focus is on attracting young, innovative talent, and that the initiative “seeks to revolutionize perceptions and promote the vast array of career pathways available in Ontario’s agriculture, food, and food processing industries.”

One project will ensure that agricultural society fairs across Ontario have the opportunity to receive resources for a dedicated booth with engaging resources to showcase the breadth and depth of career opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sector. A second project will be centered around an interactive installation at select fairs and career events that will engage individuals interested in exploring careers in the agriculture and agri-food industry. Participants will explore career paths based on their own interests and skills, empowering young people to make informed decisions about their future, AgScape said in the release.

“Our young people are the future of the agriculture and agri-food sector, but many don’t get the chance to see all the types of jobs that are available to them. Thanks to this funding, AgScape is helping them explore the diverse career opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sector, ensuring a bright and sustainable future for Canada’s agricultural industry,” federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food said in the release.

Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson said “youth across the province will be introduced to amazing careers in the agriculture and food industry and appreciate the value of Ontario’s food and beverage industry.”

Mira Lyonblum, executive director of AgScape said “our collaborative work is a crucial step forward in showcasing the exciting career opportunities available, attracting diverse talent, and inspiring the next generation of industry leaders.”

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AgScape will be offering the following programs, resources and events during CALM 2024 to students and educators across Ontario:

• Teacher Ambassador Program: AgScape’s skilled Teacher Ambassadors will deliver in-person and virtual curriculum-linked lessons on various agriculture and food topics for grades 4-12 students.  
• Teacher Discovery Kit: Elementary and secondary teachers can order Teacher Discovery Kits containing curriculum-linked lesson plans and activities to integrate agricultural concepts into their classrooms seamlessly.
• Virtual Field Trips: K-12 students and teachers can join live Virtual Field Trips to explore Ontario’s agriculture and food system and meet industry experts.
• Camp AgScape: Students 5-18 years old can go on their own agriculture and food education journey online at Camp AgScape, a self-paced online learning platform. Camp AgScape is now also available in French to support the needs of Francophone students and teachers.

Launched in 2012 by Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C), the national voice for agriculture education in Canada, CALM is celebrated annually in March to enhance awareness, understanding, and appreciation of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector among youth in Canada. This month-long initiative offers students in all ten provinces educational experiences to discover Canada’s remarkable agriculture and food story, AgScape, the Ontario chapter of AITC-C, said in a release.

“Celebrating Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month is about more than acknowledging the importance of agriculture education. It’s about engaging deeply with our complex agri-food systems and how they affect everything that we do,” Mira Lyonblum, executive director of AgScape, said in the release.

“By prioritizing this education, we recognize how critical the roles are of every person involved in making sure that we have sustainable, accessible sources of food and the role that each of us plays. Our activities during CALM also underscore our collaborative efforts to share the need for more people to seek out careers across the whole agriculture and food sector and the awesome impact they have.”

To learn more about AgScape’s programs, resources and events for CALM 2024, visit the Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month 2024 page on AgScape’s website.

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“After so many years of work and assembling a group of talented individuals, we’re being recognized as experts in the field of agriculture and food education,” said Kathryn Doan, AgScape board chair, at the provincial agri-food education organization’s recent annual meeting in Guelph.

“About 75 per cent of our programs are still for virtual activities, so not only does this mean that we can offer some stability to the educators that we work with, but it also means that we can reach farther than ever.”

Why it matters: AgScape provides factual curriculum-linked food literacy programs and resources for educators and students throughout Ontario.

In 2022, AgScape provided approximately 797,500 educational experiences to students across the province, including seven northern school districts serving diverse communities. The experiences would have been inaccessible previously due to high expense and travel costs.

“(That) is staggering,” said Mira Lyonblum, AgScape executive director. “Even more so when you stop to consider there is a real person and a real story attached to each and every one of those (student experiences).”

The lessons and resources housed within AgScape’s digital library were downloaded more than 45,000 times, reaching 2,600 classrooms, and those only represent the ones teachers report, said Lyonblum.

“We know that our resources get shared beyond that in other ways that we can’t even track. We held 16 virtual field trips, which reached over 1,100 classrooms, plus the recorded videos were accessed many times after the event.”

The Teacher Ambassador Program (TAP) reflects the evolution and growth of AgScape with development of new lessons and reach to include Grade 4 to Grade 12 students instead of a Grade 7 entry point.

The TAP program offers opportunities to deliver content outside conventional classrooms, hire more teacher ambassadors and streamline the program management system to enhance booking and administration, said Doan.

By continually assessing its resources, AgScape ensures program content and delivery reflects diverse cultures, communities and abilities.

“Camp AgScape welcomes new audiences like students who are homeschooled or on school breaks, along with those in classrooms,” Lyonblum said.

In 2022, the Think Ag Career Competition held 12 in-person events with 4,000 students hearing from 63 industry volunteers at activity stations that demonstrated agricultural career opportunities.

It’s easy to forget AgScape is a small team because of its impact numbers, said Lyonblum, but its success reflects the extraordinary flexibility demonstrated by the staff.

In March 2023, AgScape’s programs, resources and events reached more than 100,000 youths in 600 classrooms during the Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month through TAP, digital resource packages and teacher discovery kits, virtual field trips and events involving maple syrup production, beef farming, tractor dealerships and genomics.

“This small but mighty crew fields a daily deluge of emails from educators requesting our program, put together funding proposals which allow our resources to remain free, and in their extra time put on events like this (annual general meeting),” she said.

AgScape’s 2022 to 2025 strategic plan is to continue building partnerships and community, sustainability and excellence in agriculture and food education, said Doan.

“Our problem is not a lack of demand for our programs. On the contrary, we’re at the point where we can’t expand our programming further in an effective way without investment and making sure that our future is sustainable.”

By diversifying its support base, AgScape developed new membership packages and supporter levels, which helped its fiscal forecast despite the pandemic.

Doan said AgScape will build on the success of the strategic plan’s first year and extend its reach into school boards across the province.

“Our commitment to excellence in agriculture and food education allows us to prioritize adaptive innovation,” she said. “The wider we can spread the message that we need to take action in raising the next generation of leaders in agriculture and food, the better it is for all of us.”

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Launched by AITC-C in 2012, CALM takes place annually in March to increase awareness, understanding, and appreciation of agriculture and food among youth in Canada. CALM provides K-12 students in all 10 provinces with engaging experiential opportunities to learn about Canada’s remarkable agriculture and food story.

As a proud Ontario member of AITC-C, AgScape will be offering the following free programs, resources and events during CALM to youth and educators across Ontario:

• Teacher Ambassador Program: AgScape Teacher Ambassadors will be delivering interactive, curriculum-linked lessons on agriculture and food for grade 4-12 students in English and French.  
• Digital Resource Package: Elementary and secondary teachers can order curriculum-linked lesson plans and activities appropriate for their grades.
• Virtual Field Trips and Live Events: K-12 students will virtually meet with industry experts to take tours of farms and production facilities, explore innovations in agriculture and discover rewarding careers.
• Virtual Art Show: K-12 students and educators can submit an art piece with the theme “Our Food Our Story” to win prizes.

“Educating youth about agriculture and food, especially during Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month, helps them discover a wide range of career opportunities available in Canada’s innovative agriculture and agri-food sectors,” said Mira Lyonblum, executive director of AgScape, in a release.
Rebecca Sooksom, chair of AITC-C, said linking students with food producers “helps keep that connection strong so the next generation of Canadians knows not only where their food comes from, but also the importance of the sector to our communities from coast to coast.” 

To learn more about AgScape’s programs, resources and events for CALM, visit: https://agscape.ca/event/canadian-agriculture-literacy-month

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The 68-page resource contains an overview of pig farming and has three unique lesson plans for Grades 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10, as well as a comprehensive list of relevant and useful resources for educators. 

Topics covered include: The History of Pig Farming, Pig Production and Terminology, Pig Farming and the Canadian economy, Human Nutrition and Health, Pig Farming and the Environment and even more topics that will help contribute to students becoming informed food citizens. 

With a new school year just around the corner, AgScape said in a release that it is looking forward to being able to share this new resource with students and teachers in their journey to learn more about agriculture and food in Ontario. 

The resource is available for teachers at agscape.ca/resources.

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Brunsveld, program and resource assistant with AgScape, and a dairy farmer, took the students and teachers through a livestream for 40 minutes on YouTube, while an extraordinary stream of questions played next to it.

Why it matters: Agriculture can struggle to have its message heard, but increased online engagement has helped spread agriculture’s message further than ever before.

Groups and events that engage and educate the general public about agriculture have found exploding demand for their online content.

AgScape, the Ontario provider of agriculture information to students and teachers, was forced to pivot from its usual in-class sessions to more online learning. That meant that it was able to deliver 409,472 educational experiences in 2020.

Mercedes Unwin, program and resource manager at AgScape, said during a video presentation at the organization’s annual general meeting that 15,000 digital educational resources were distributed, with 310,000 students reached. The organization’s Growing Careers videos were viewed 15,000 times and virtual farm and food tours were viewed 60,000 times.

AgScape partnered with Farm & Food Care to provide virtual farm tours, including a partnership to present the dairy farm tour with Cassi Brunsveld.

Canada’s Ag Day, an annual celebration of Canadian agriculture, this year held Feb. 23, significantly increased its reach beyond the sector in 2021, said Isaac LeClair, a social media consultant with Farm Credit Canada (FCC). He also spoke at the AgScape annual meeting.

LeClair said there was significantly increased digital engagement outside of the core agriculture sector this year and that the event was one of the leading trends in Canada for 14 hours that day. More than 35 million people were reached digitally.

The event was mentioned by sports stars and major buyers of agriculture and food like McDonald’s. Prime Minister Trudeau took virtual tours of farms, which were then pushed out on social media channels.

“We had 10 people trying to keep track of it, but it was impossible to do,” said LeClair. #CdnAgDay was mentioned every 8.9 seconds on Twitter at its 10 a.m. peak.

LeClair says that the success of Canada’s Ag Day programming is similar to the tools he suggested in his presentation for success online and surviving the current digital reality:

• Be friendly
• Connect with people one on one
• Celebrate people

The next goal is to keep up the level of engagement for Canada’s Ag Day year round, he said.

Ferguson wins teacher award

Bryan Ferguson, a teacher at Ridgetown District High School was awarded the 2021 teacher recognition award. The award is presented each year in partnership with Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show.

Unwin says that Ferguson took students to a variety of farms and events including beef, dairy and goat farms. He also took them to crop events and his students learned about pesticide spray courses. 

Ferguson says he has been using AgScape’s resources for 15 years teaching in a more urban setting in Sarnia and now in Ridgetown. He uses the resource not only in the High Skills Major in Agriculture class but also in a green industries class and younger science classes.

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Libro’s investment will be directed over a three-year period to fund 195 agri-food lessons for more than 4,200 southwestern Ontario students.

Libro’s investment will also sup- port three AgScape interactive Career Competitions where students will have the opportunity to learn directly from experts in the agri-food community.

“The Teacher Ambassador Pro- gram and AgScapes’ education programming are critical to help close the food literacy gap and build a more resilient food system,” John Kiser, Commercial & Agricultural Relationship Manager with Libro Credit Union explains.

Local Food Accessibility is one of Libro’s key focus areas and one of the biggest challenges in the region. Libro Credit Union has deep roots in agriculture and continues to support more than 3,200 farm and agri-business owners in southwestern Ontario.

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AgScape recently announced that Taylor Selig has been promoted to executive director.

Selig will focus on continuing AgScape’s mission of empowering Ontario students by increasing awareness and igniting interest in careers in the agriculture and food industries.

AgScape works to bring the stories, facts, and passion of the world of agriculture and food into Ontario classrooms.

AgScape’s Board of Directors established a hiring committee and began the search for a new team leader after the departure of previous ED Glenna Banda.

“It was incredibly promising to see the breadth of talent who applied for the role,” said Kathryn Doan, AgScape board chair. “It was clear that despite the pandemic and other challenges facing the world right now, the passion and the demand for agriculture and food education is stronger than ever.” Doan said.

Selig was previously development manager with AgScape, and has worked for six years for the organization.

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